There hadn't been any possible way to recover gracefully, given the force of the collision and where he'd been standing when it happened, but Alfred was still a little miffed that he, the experienced sailor who was supposed to be imparting seafaring wisdom to these young ladies, had been sent sprawling on the deck. Luckily, he didn't think anyone was looking at him when it happened, since they'd all been clinging to their respective seats. He could get back on his feet and start assessing the damage to the boat (and, Merlin forbid, to the ladies) before anyone noticed his tumble.

Or that was his intention, anyway. Before he could move, the girl whom he'd just been sitting by was at his side, which made Alfred let out a little involuntary groan. "Fine," he answered. "And hopefully we can say the same of your friends."